Arkansas Inmate Search | ADC / Arkansas DOC Offender Locator

Key Resources for Arkansas Inmate Search

Always confirm any inmate or custody details you find here against the latest information posted on Arkansas Department of Corrections portals before making decisions or travel plans.

Finding inmate and offender information in Arkansas requires using both statewide prison tools and county jail resources. For a broader view of statewide data before you drill into inmate records, you can start at Arkansas Public Records and then move into the specialized offender tools discussed below.

This guide walks through how the Arkansas Department of Corrections and its Division of Correction present inmate information online, what those statewide tools usually cover, and when you will need to switch to county sheriff or local detention resources. It is informational only, is not a government site, and does not provide legal or tax advice.

Inmate Search in Arkansas: Statewide Starting Points and Coverage

People connected to the Arkansas justice system may be in state prison custody under the Division of Correction, housed in a community correction center, or held in a local county jail. The statewide inmate and offender tools are built primarily for people who have been received into Arkansas Department of Corrections custody, not for every arrest made in the state.

When you run a statewide offender lookup, you are usually seeing people assigned to state facilities such as Cummins Unit, Varner Supermax Unit, McPherson Unit, Benton Unit, or other Division of Correction locations listed on the prison facilities directory. Recent arrests, short county sentences, and people still waiting to be transferred from a county jail often will not appear yet. Online records can also lag behind internal updates, so facility moves, classification changes, or early-release decisions may not immediately show on the public search.

Checking State Custody Through the Department of Corrections Inmate Search Portal

The primary statewide tool is the Division of Correction’s online inmate search, which lets you look up people by ADC number, name, county, facility, offense category, and other filters. Using the ADC number (the state offender identifier printed on court or prison paperwork) is the most precise way to search and helps avoid confusing two people who share a similar name or birth date.

To check Arkansas state custody, start at the official search page and agree to the disclaimer, then enter the ADC number or a combination of name and other filters. From there you can search the ADC inmate database, review the list of matches, and open an individual record. That record typically shows basic identifying details, current facility or unit, and other information the agency chooses to publish. The Division of Correction also offers a downloadable inmate database through its online services, which carries a per-record access fee and is geared more toward bulk research than one-off family checks. Any projected release information on these tools is subject to change based on good time, disciplinary actions, or policy updates, and the agency notes that some people who committed offenses under age 18 may become eligible for release earlier than the online date suggests.

How Arkansas DOC Custody Connects With County Jail Custody

Once a person is sentenced to state time in Arkansas, they are typically processed into the Division of Correction and assigned to an initial unit. Classification staff review each person’s case, medical needs, and behavior over time and may transfer them between units such as Delta Regional Unit, Ouachita River Correctional Unit, or other listed facilities. The statewide inmate search follows the person’s current state location, not the full transfer history or sentencing county, so you may see a prison in a different part of Arkansas than where the case began.

By contrast, people who were only recently arrested, are still awaiting trial, or are serving very short sentences may remain entirely in county jail custody. Those individuals may never appear in the state inmate search if they are released or resolved at the county level. To understand charges, sentencing, or court events linked to an Arkansas DOC record, you may also need to review case information through Arkansas Court Records and contact the relevant local court or sheriff’s office.

The Department of Corrections also oversees residential and community correction centers for certain offenders, where people are sometimes referred to as “residents” rather than “inmates.” Those placements can have different visitation schedules and banking rules than traditional prison units, so always check whether the person you are researching is in a prison, community correction center, or county jail before relying on any statewide information.

When to Switch to County Jail Searches in Arkansas

Statewide Arkansas inmate tools are not designed to replace local jail rosters. If you believe someone was just arrested, is being held on a new local charge, has a short county sentence, or may be in transit between facilities, a county sheriff’s jail page or local detention center will usually have the most current information, even when the state DOC search has not yet updated.

Statewide Arkansas DOC tools focus on people already in long-term prison custody, not on very recent arrests or short holds in county jails. To see the newest bookings, you will need to choose the county where the person was arrested or is being held.

County Inmate Search
Pulaski County Search

After selecting a county, follow the specific instructions on that sheriff or detention center website. Some Arkansas counties post searchable rosters with booking photos, while others publish static PDF lists or require phone calls for verification. Each county sets its own schedule for updating online jail information, so always treat local pages as a snapshot that may change quickly.

Visitation, Contact, and Funds: What to Verify on Arkansas Department of Corrections Policy Pages

Visitation for people in Arkansas DOC custody is governed by statewide policies posted on the Division of Correction visitation pages. These rules explain how to apply for the approved visitation list, identification requirements, dress code, and how many visitors or visits are allowed based on an inmate’s classification level. There are also special procedures for video visitation through contracted vendors, including how far in advance you must schedule sessions, how long each visit lasts, and what conduct can cause a visit to be terminated or future visits to be suspended.

Telephone and electronic communication are also centralized. Standard phone calls use a secure phone system with options such as prepaid accounts and inmate debit accounts administered through approved providers listed on the DOC online services page. Video visitation and tablet programs are offered through vendors like Securus under DOC rules, and all non-attorney calls and electronic messages may be recorded and monitored. Arkansas DOC policies prohibit three-way calling and call forwarding, and violations can result in loss of phone or visitation privileges.

Money deposits are handled through inmate banking and deposit services that allow family and friends to place funds in a trust account or prepaid phone account by website, mobile app, phone, or designated walk-in retailers. The agency works with deposit providers such as Access Corrections and warns specifically against sending money through unapproved payment apps that are not listed on DOC pages, calling such transfers illegal and potentially subject to discipline or criminal charges. Deposit amounts, processing fees, and daily or weekly limits are set out on the official inmate banking and deposit pages, and funds sent through approved systems are often available within about 30 minutes.

Mail rules are also changing. Arkansas DOC is implementing a digital mail system under which most non-legal mail is routed to an off-site processing center, scanned, and then delivered electronically to the incarcerated person’s tablet or printed and delivered at the facility if the person does not have digital access. Legal mail and publications from publishers still go directly to the facility’s mailing address, but everything must follow strict formatting and content rules to avoid rejection. For the latest address formats, size limits, and digital mail procedures, you should follow the ADC mail and money instructions rather than relying on older printed materials.

Finally, commissary purchases are governed by statewide commissary policies and a master item list set by DOC. Proceeds from commissary sales are directed to the inmate welfare fund, and there is a separate list of items available to indigent inmates who meet account-balance requirements. Specific items, prices, and eligibility rules can change, so always check the current commissary policy or master list published by the Division of Correction before sending money with a particular purchase in mind.

Coverage Gaps and Notices: Verifying Custody Information

  • Division of Correction: 6814 Princeton Pike, Pine Bluff, AR 71602 (View on Google Maps)
  • Phone: 870-267-6999

The Arkansas inmate search and related online tools do not show every situation. Very recent arrests, short county sentences, and people still in local holding may appear only on county jail resources and never in the statewide DOC search. Some records can also be limited or withheld under law, including certain juvenile matters and restricted or sealed cases, so lack of an online result does not necessarily mean there is no record.

Information visible on the ADC search pages, inmate database download, or public lists such as escapee or walk-off lists is provided for general public safety and informational use. It may not reflect the most current internal status, classification, or release planning for a person in custody, and it is not a substitute for certified records from the Department of Corrections or from the courts. Projected release dates in particular are estimates that can change if policies are updated or if the person earns or loses time credits.

This site is not affiliated with the Arkansas Department of Corrections or any Arkansas court, and it cannot guarantee that any online record is current, complete, or suitable for any legal or tax purpose. For official confirmation of someone’s custody status or location, you should contact the Division of Correction or the relevant county jail directly using the contact details published by those agencies, and consider consulting a qualified attorney for any legal questions.

Why isn't someone showing up in the Arkansas inmate search?
If a person was only recently arrested, is being held solely in a county jail, has already been released, or is subject to a restricted or sealed record, they may not appear in the statewide DOC search. In those situations you usually need to check county jail resources or contact the agency directly to confirm their status.

Are Arkansas DOC online inmate records the same as certified prison or court records?
No. The Arkansas DOC inmate search and related online tools are convenient informational snapshots, but they are not certified records and may not include every detail. For official documentation, you must request records directly from the Department of Corrections or the appropriate court, and this guide cannot provide legal advice about how to use those records.